OK Chess Champion, 12, Isn't Finished Competing

Oklahoma is home to one of the best chess players in the world and hes not even close to being old enough to drive.

Tuesday, July 7th 2015, 5:53 pm

By: Karl Torp


Oklahoma is home to one of the best chess players in the world and he’s not even close to being old enough to drive.

Advait Patel, or Adi, is the reigning Oklahoma State Chess Champion. Adi, 12, won the same tournament last year. The tournament is open to any player in the state.

“It’s nice to win the state championship and win it twice, but it’s not the end of the line,” Adi said.

Adi learned to play from chess his grandfather in India about five years ago.

Now, Adi’s goal is to become world champion, and he and his family travel all over the country competing in chess tournaments.

“He hates to lose,” said Ruhi Patel, Adi’s mother.

The Patels will drive all night from their Midwest City home to make a chess tournament that begins the Wednesday morning.  They’ve driven to Chicago, Orlando and several other destinations.

Adi has competed in more than 180 tournaments and is ranked third in the national in his age group.

Ruhi Patel started selling homemade Indian food to help pay for travel expenses.

His parents said they had no idea what to do about their son’s passion for chess when he first started playing.

In his first tournament, the Patels entered Adi in the open division and he lost both his matches.

“He vowed to returned,” Rupal Patel said about his son’s pledge to eventually win the championship.

Two years later, Adi was crowned champion.

Adi turns 13 this month and will go to Carl Albert High School in the fall. The coach of the chess team is already excited.

The family has set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for tournament expenses. Click here if you would like to make a donation.

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